Spring Heat
by the Black Rose
Summary: Kyoru. Is it Kyo's time of the month? 'But Kyo's a boy.' Uo chuckled and patted Tohru on the head. 'It's a figure of speech.'...Kyo swore it was a conspiracy. Everyone had gotten together and brainstormed on 'how to get Kyo'...


Spring Heat

by the Black Rose

A Fruits Basket Fanfiction.

AN: I'm hoping this will be a fairly short series (which usually translates to approx. 4 chapters).  Expect lime and lemon in later parts.  The featured pairing is Kyo x Tohru aka Kyoru.  Thanks for reading!!!  Love, Rose

As always, a special thank you to Stella for betareading.  *hugs*

Chapter 1 

It was instinct that woke him every morning at what others considered a god-awful time of day.  Rat boy especially.  Kyo smirked and practically launched out of bed.  It was Friday, almost time for the weekend.  Eight hours of school and he was home free.

            He padded across the hall to the bathroom; the early morning light streamed in through the windows, reminding him it was spring.  It looked like it would even be a nice day outside, something he infinitely preferred over the rain.

            "A hot day, too." Kyo wiped a hand across his forehead and stood panting against the bathroom door.  "Shigure needs to turn the thermostat down."  He turned the handle to allow cool water to spurt from the shower faucet.   The stream hit his face and washed over the rest of his body, but the water did little to soothe the hot blood pumping… 

Why was his heart beating so fast?

            Kyo frowned and took several deep, calming breaths.  He closed his eyes and focused his energy the way his mentor had shown him.  Cool water, slow breathing… Breathing… Better.  He finished bathing and stepped out, wrapped a towel around his waist and strode back into the hall. No one else was awake.  

            He passed Tohru's room, and noticed his pulse quickened once more.  He stopped, faintly picking up her scent.  A heavy weight sat on his chest, and the air around him became stifling hot.  It was **that** scent.  

            _I've got to get out of here!_  He raced to his room.  The door banged shut behind him and he fell against it, gasping for breath.

            Of all the damn things.  Why did I have to be a cat? Kyo threw on his uniform shirt, but neglected the buttons.  Rat boy doesn't have this problem.  Even Shigure…He hopped on one leg, then the other as he pulled on his black pants en route to the door.  He can sense it, but it doesn't do this! The cat paused outside his room to fasten his belt and frowned.  Or maybe he's just always in this state.  It would explain a lot. 

            So much for just eight hours of school until freedom.  He was going to have to avoid her all day – a task made entirely too difficult by her insistent worrying – and pretty much all weekend.  

            _Dumbass curse_.  He hurried down stairs to make his breakfast so he could be gone before anyone else got up.

****************************************************

            Breakfast took longer than he anticipated.  He grabbed the toaster. "I set you on light, and get charcoal--"

"Good morning!"  The novelist's sing-song voice interrupted his tirade at the kitchen appliance.  "You're up earlier than usual, Kyo.  Did you sleep well?"

            Kyo glared at Shigure and hissed at the dog under his breath.  

            "Grumpier than usual, too.  But I'm sure that once our dear, sweet Tohru has finished preparing our breakfast, your temper will be milder once more."  He cast a longing glance up the stairs.  "I'm starving. I hope she gets up soon. Tooooooohru…"

            Kyo tossed the second piece burnt toast into the waste basket.  How difficult was it to make toast?   The damn dog was distracting him.  "Shut up.  I'm not having breakfast. I have to go."

            Shigure gasped and threw an arm up to his forehead.  "What? No breakfast? You would turn your nose up one of the meals Tohru so lovingly prepares for us? I am appalled." 

            Kyo pushed passed his cousin and headed for the living room to find his bag.

 "Knock it off.  I'm not hungry. And I have to get to school early." The redheaded boy turned to scowl at the novelist. "Quit the theatrics before you wake up the entire damn house."  He started for the door, but his progress halted when he had to stop and hunt for a pair of shoes. 

Shigure stood behind him, chewing on a pencil and staring at him.  

            "What!"

            "You don't have to be there early." 

Kyo turned to leave, shoes or no shoes.  He did not like the new tone the dog's voice had taken.  It usually meant—

"Unless you happen to have an early morning appointment around the seventeenth of every month."

            The cat froze in his tracks. He slowly turned and lifted guilty eyes up in the novelist's direction.

Five minutes and one explanation later….

Shigure leaned against the wall, doubled over in hysterics.  The red haired boy tried once again to use his meditative technique.  _Breathe, breathe… Kill!_ "ARGH! You-you…I hate you!"

"Hah.  Well, this is an unexpected turn of events." The dog appeared far too amused for his own good.  Kyo's fists clenched, ready to strike.

            "It's not funny!"

            The older Sohma's expression slowly sobered.  "There is one way to fix it.  At least, I only know of one way."

            "You just think this is one big joke all the time.  Well, I'm not laughing, you stupid dog.  Why I thought you'd be able to help--"  Kyo caught his breath and stared hopefully at his cousin.  "There is?"

            A sly grin crossed Shigure's face.  "I hear that having male cats neutered can have a positive effect on their temper."           

"SHUT UP!  If anyone needs to be neutered, it's you."

            "Ah ah ah." The novelist wagged his finger like a puppy wagging its tail.  "That's no way to treat someone who knows your deepest, darkest secret." He brought a hand to his chin and frowned.  "But all joking aside, I could check with Hatori and see if he has any ideas."

            Kyo hung his head and let his shoulders slump.  But only for a brief moment as he got a whiff of that scent again.  His whole body tensed.  She was awake and moving about.  Getting nearer.  He started towards the door and threw Shigure one last nasty look over his shoulder.  "Fine! I'm going to school."

            "Um, Kyo, are you hungry?" Tohru's voice called out from somewhere behind him. "I can make break--"           

            The door slammed shut before she could finish her sentence.  He needed to get as far away from her as possible.

            Of all the damn things…. I had to be a cat.

**************************************************

            Shigure held his breath, waiting for any wisdom his friend could possibly impart.  He had to admit, he could understand Kyo's predicament.  Dogs were just as in tune with that sort of thing as cats.  And, well, Tohru was attractive….

            "Hm.  This is a bit…surprising." The doctor's voice was cool and even; there was no hint of the surprise he spoke of.

            Shigure sniffled and put a hand to his heart.  "They're just all growing up so fast."

            "Try being serious for a moment.  This isn't a joke; it could cause…problems."

            "Oh, nah." Shigure dismissed the possibility with a wave of his hand. "Kyo may be a horny teenager, but he's not going to do anything stupid."

            "It only takes one slip," the doctor reminded him.  "And what about Yuki?"

            Eh. Yuki.  He was as much in love with Tohru as Kyo.  At least as far as Shigure could tell.  "You do have a point there."

            "And Akito." Hatori's deep voice managed to make the name sound even more foreboding.  

The novelist cringed.             "Let's not think about that."  

He waited, but there was no response.  That meant his friend was thinking.  And if he was thinking, then… "So, you have an idea, then, Hatori?"

            "Yes. I'll take care of it."

            The dog grinned.  "Well, if we talk to Tohru, she might let us slip the sedative in his fish.  Then we can take him--"

            "I'm not having him sterilized.  The only one in this family who needs to be neutered is you, idiot."

            "Awwwwww, why me? Is that anyway to talk to your old friend?" There was a click.  "Hatori? Hatori?"

            _He hung up.  _Shigure sighed.  Hatori was nowhere near as fun to torture as Miei.  _Speaking of…._

            He quickly dialed the number of his editor, and schooled his features into an expression of pain. 

            "Hello?"

            He coughed loudly into the phone.  "Ehh, Miei.  I'm so….glad… I reached…youuuuu…." He made his voice sound strained and hoarse. The dog groaned and wheezed a little for good measure.

            "If this is another one of your 'I'm dying' tricks, I'm not falling for it, Shigure.  I need those revisions by tonight!"

****************************************************

            Kyo swore it was a conspiracy.  Everyone had gotten together in the middle of the night and brainstormed on 'how to get Kyo'.  That had to be it.  Probably a nightly, regular meeting.  One which that damned rat presided over.  He scowled across the table at that…that…

            "Oh, look, Orange-top's in a mood AGAIN today.  What, did you run out of Midol?" Arisa Uotani smirked and leaned back in her chair.

            "No-good Yankee!  You wanna fight, bring it on!"

He shot up from his seat and Uo did the same.  Hana sat between the two as they glared daggers at one another.  "I'll mop up the floor with your little orange head."

            "Why don't you quit talkin then, and prove it."  Kyo slammed his fist down on the table, but as soon as it made contact, he felt his rage dissipate into something else.  Something familiar, though equally frustrating.  _Tohru…_

            "Good morning everyone."  She stood there and smiled, but her blue eyes widened when they came to rest on him.  A gentle hand reached out for his shoulder.  "Oh, Kyo, is everything okay?  You left without breakfast this morning…"

            He jerked out of her grasp. "Leave me alone!" He spun on his heel and stalked off down the hall, still seething from the altercation with that…that…. 

Remorse caught up with him about twenty feet away.  _It's not her fault. _ He glanced behind him and saw the two taller girls hugging Tohru. Kyo ducked his head and continued on.

            _I just need to keep my distance, right now.  I can apologize to her later._

            He opened the latch on the window at the end of the hall, and clambered out.  

**************************************************

            Uo sank back down into her seat, still glowering at Kyo's path of retreat.  "He sure is in a foul mood today.  His temper is worse than usual."

            Tohru glanced up at her friend, then settled her gaze back to the floor.  "I heard him arguing with Shigure this morning.  Then Kyo left before breakfast instead of walking with us like he usually does.  I…I don't know what I did wrong?"

            "You didn't do anything, Tohru.  He's just an ass."  Uo reclined in her chair and sipped her tea.  "Don't let him get to you."

            Tohru shook her head.  "No.  Something is bothering him, or I've done something to upset him."  She looked from one girl to the other.  "I wish I knew what to say…."

            "Has anyone noticed that he seems to become more irritable on the same day each month?"  Hana's quiet voice spoke up for the first time.  She removed her comforting arm from around Tohru's shoulders and turned to Kyo's empty place at the table.  "His electrical signals fluctuate and his body temperature increases.  It's…strange."

            "Ha.  I was right.  He is out of Midol."  Arisa laughed.

            Tohru turned curious eyes to Uo.  "Midol?"

            "It's his time of the month."

            "But…but Kyo's a boy."

            Uo chuckled and patted her friend on the head.  "Tohru.  It's a figure of speech.  Only in Orange-top's case, he's having the hormonal imbalance, just not the cramps."

            "I wouldn't say it was exactly the same thing," Hana said.  "Only that it's a regular pattern, so it's not likely to have anything to do with you, Tohru."

Tohru drew in a deep breath and slowly rose from her seat.  "I…I think I'll go find him."

            "You know you shouldn't be skipping class." Uo frowned up at her.

            She smiled at the protective pair of girls.  "I know.  I won't skip.  I'll just be a little late.  I'll see you in a bit." Tohru waved at her friends and started down the hallway to follow Kyo to his favorite spot on the roof.

            I promised I would listen.  I promised to be your friend.  She opened the already unlatched window – proof this was where he had gone – and climbed out.

And I won't give up.

***************************************************

            Kyo laid his forehead on his knee and sighed.  He was sulking.  And he knew it.  Unfortunately, the eight or so other cats that managed to crawl out of thin air to join him also knew it.  He sighed and lifted his head up just enough to glare at them.

            He caught that telltale scent and felt his pulse quicken.  A second later, her head popped up over the side of the roof.

            "Kyo?"

            He wanted to bang his head on the cement of the rooftop.  _Why? Why? Why? _ Under normal circumstances, he had to admit, he would probably feel somewhat soothed by her presence.  But right now, he'd have given just about anything to make her go away.  "What do you want? Can't you take a hint?"

            She bowed her head and moved slowly towards him.  The wind rustled through her hair and clothing, plastering it to the curves of her body.  "I don't know what I did, but whatever it is, I'm sorry." She took another step closer.  He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

            _Dammit, don't come closer! _ "You didn't do anything," he bit out, forcing himself to look away.  "I'm just…I'm just not feeling well."

            "Oh! Do you have a cold?" She rushed instantly to his side.  

            He could have kicked himself. _ Idiot!_  _Why did I use that lame excuse?_

"Your forehead is warm." Her touch was cool compared to the heat in his veins.  He relaxed against her hand.

            "I'm not sick."

            His heart pounded faster, she was now so close…. He dragged heavy eyes to rest on her face.  The slight breeze swept up her hair, tossing it in chocolate waves similar to the way it looked pooled around her face at night when she was asleep.  Her cheeks were flushed, brightening the blue of her eyes.  The way she was kneeling, her skirt had gone askew and hiked up to reveal a good portion of her left thigh. His fingers itched to smooth it further up….

            He grabbed the hand on his forehead and pulled her closer.  He saw her eyes widen for just a moment before he leaned up and forward, closing the gap between their lips….

            "I thought I'd find you up here." Haru's deep voice sounded behind the blushing girl.  She gasped, pulled away from Kyo, but in her haste to turn around, she stumbled forward and tripped over the boy she had been about to kiss.  Kyo sprawled back in an attempt to catch her, and catch her he did.  She landed on his chest, her face inches above his own – her entire body pressed tight against him.

            For just a split second…

Poof! He turned into a cat.

**********************************************************************

AN: *grins*  So, how many of you have already guessed Kyo's little problem?  ;) Thanks for reading!  Love, Rose 


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